Former Southampton and Royal Antwerp forward Victor Udoh has died at the age of 21 in Nigeria “under suspicious circumstances.”
Udoh was found dead in Abuja, although the exact cause of death had not been confirmed at the time of filing this report.
Chronicle NG gathered that the young striker recently returned to Nigeria after ending his spell with Czech club Dynamo České Budějovice, which he joined following his departure from Southampton in 2025.
Royal Antwerp confirmed his demise in a statement shared on its official X handle on Tuesday.
“With great dismay, RAFC has learned of the passing of former player Victor Udoh (21).
“Victor arrived at the Bosuil in the 2023/2024 season, where, in his first season with the Young Reds, he managed to score twelve times in 21 matches.
That season, he also made his official debut for the first team in the home match against Charleroi. In total, Victor appeared officially 28 times for The Great Old and provided two assists before making the move to Southampton.
“Our thoughts are with Victor’s family, friends, and loved ones. We wish them much strength, support, and warmth during this particularly difficult time.
“Rest in peace, Victor,” the club wrote.
Udoh signed a three-and-a-half-year contract with Southampton and spent around seven months there without making a senior appearance before leaving by mutual consent to seek more playing time.
Prior to his move to England, he played for Royal Antwerp, where he advanced from the reserve squad after signing from Abuja-based Hypebuzz.
He was widely considered a promising young prospect in Europe before his move to Southampton.
Pierre Dwomoh, Udoh’s former teammate and Watford midfielder, responded to the news on Instagram. “I woke up to it on Tuesday morning,” Dwomoh explained.
“At first you think something like this happens in your sleep, until you read the message thoroughly and realize: this s*** is real. Some of Victor’s relatives I spoke to confirmed his death.”
